Leveraging Inside Sources of Consumer Insights
Observation/Commentary
Word count: 1,737
Brian Wansink, Ph.D.
(FoodandBrandLab@Cornell.edu)
John S. Dyson Professor of Marketing
Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management
Cornell University
Brian Wansink (PhD, Stanford University 1990) is the John S. Dyson Professor of Marketing
and Director of the Food and Brand Lab in the Dyson School of Applied Economics and
Management at Cornell University. He is an expert on eating behavior and food marketing and
has authored over 200 journal articles including the books Consumer Panels, Asking Questions,
and Marketing Nutrition, along with the bestselling Mindless Eating: Why We Eat More Than
We Think (2006) and Slim by Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everyday Places (2014).
Bullet Points:
• Inside source interviews can quickly, impressively, and inexpensively uncover unique
insights that would otherwise be overlooked in conventional research.
• Inside sources are people who interact with a target market on a frequent or intense basis.
For golfers, inside sources could include clubhouse owners or caddies; for weekend
cooks, inside sources could be butchers or gas grill salespeople; for affluent women,
inside sources could be personal shoppers or personal chefs.
• This article shows how to locate, interview, and leverage inside sources to generate new
insights about target consumers and new marketing tactics that more effectively reach
and resonate with them.
Key Words:
Inside source, key informant, target segment, target segment, brand champion, heavy user,
qualitative research, focus groups, depth interviews
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Leveraging Inside Sources of Consumer Insights
ABSTRACT
Word count: 84
Inside source interviews can quickly, impressively, and inexpensively uncover unique
insights that would otherwise be overlooked in conventional research. Inside sources –
people who interact with a target market on a frequent or intense basis – can have powerful
insights about why consumers in this target market behave as they do. Unfortunately, these
inside sources are generally overlooked by researchers and not often used as valuable key
informants. For golfers, inside sources could include clubhouse owners or caddies; for weekend
cooks, inside sources could be butchers or gas grill salespeople; for affluent women, inside
sources could be personal shoppers or personal chefs. This article shows how to locate,
interview, and leverage inside sources to generate new insights about target consumers and new
marketing tactics that more effectively reach and resonate with them.
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Locating and Leveraging Inside Sources
of Consumer Insights
Using inside source interviews to generate insights can impressively uncover unique
insights that would otherwise be overlooked thorough much more involved, complicated,
and expensive forms of marketing research. This is particularly the case when it comes to
generating new consumer insights about a target market or an evenly more narrowly defined
target segment, such as potential purchasers of high-end stereo equipment, soft drink switchers,
power tool buyers, energy drink lovers, or new car shoppers. Inside sources are those people
who either frequently or intensively interact with the target segment – generally in a servicerelated context, including salespeople, servers, repair experts, customer service representatives,
or blog authors. While not credentialed or trained as marketing researchers, these individuals
may have developed unique lay theories about the target segment that are unlikely to otherwise
be revealed through focus groups (Fortini-Campbell, 1991), brand equity laddering interviews
(Wansink 2003), or by quantitative means. Locating and leveraging these inside sources can be
an insightful way to quickly learn more about a target segment.
Suppose a researcher is target market or on an even more specifically-defined target
segment of individuals who behave in a way we can determine how to encourage similar
behavior in other potentially similarly predisposed individuals. In a marketing context, this
target market or target segment might be people who highly loyal to Brand A, people who are
heavy users of Brand A, people who have switched from Brand B to Brand A (Wansink 1994),
or more generally, people who are frequent users of a category, people who are high level
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spenders in a category, and so on. In a public health context, these target segments could include
people who exhibit any behavior we would like to expand or encourage on a wider basis. This
could include people who serve and eat vegetables during every dinner, people who recycle,
people who use the USDA MyPlate (Wansink and Kranz 2013), parents with healthy weight
children (Bevelander et al 2014), people who drink more milk than soft drinks, and so on. In all
of the above instances, the first step would be to find inside sources who can help generate
insights on whatever target segment we are trying to better understand.
Using inside source interviews can involve using questioning and projecting. With
questioning, the researcher locates and interviews an inside source about how the target segment
behaves, what they talk about, what related preferences they might have, and so on (Wind, 1978;
Wells and Tigert 1971; Weinstein and Nesbit, 1986; Plummer, 1984). With projecting, the
research asks the inside source to project or to predict about why he or she believes the targeted
individuals behave in the way they do or have the preferences they have (Wansink, Shimizu, and
Brumberg 2013; Haley, 1985). While it is generally unusual to use third-party projection rather
than obtaining such information directly from consumers, the value in doing so with inside
sources is that they that may have subtle insights that would not otherwise be detected by the
even those consumers in the target market themselves.
After defining inside sources, this article illustrates how these field-tested techniques can
be used to elicit the most useful insights. We then demonstrate how the generated insights can
be used for message development, positioning, and the targeting of communication efforts as
well as the key implications they have for product design, pricing, and placement.
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Defining and Locating Inside Sources
Inside sources are individuals who deal with the target segment on a frequent or intense
basis. Importantly, inside sources are not the target segment themselves, but they closely know
and understand the target segment. For example, if the target segment were Fortune 500 CEOs,
possible inside sources might be personal assistants, charter flight pilots, the Chief Operating
Officer, tailors, tax accountants, attorneys, luxury car dealers, or chauffeurs. As Table 1
illustrates, different target segments and different marketing objectives require different types of
inside sources (Fortini-Campbell, 1991).
[Insert Table 1]
There is wide latitude in the types of individuals who can serve as inside sources. This
speaks to the flexibility of the method, but it also has key implications for how to most
effectively approach inside sources for interviews. Continuing with the example above, if the
objective is to better understand the business-to-business buying habits of high tech CEOs, both
a Silicon Valley software engineer and an airline club bartender at SFO might prove to be useful
inside sources, but they would be approached very differently. Regardless of the inside source,
however, the objective of the interview is to gain notable or unexpected key insights into the
behavior of the target segment. Whereas some inside sources require financial incentives –
usually ranging from $30 to $400 for a 45-minute interview – many others are willing to freely
share their insights over coffee or lunch.
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Interviewing Inside Sources
There are a wide range of insights one can get from interviewing inside sources. Table 2
shows how varied some of these insights can be and how the insights can vary widely (yet not
inconsistently) between one source and another.
[Insert Table 2]
To best capture such useful insights, it is important to approach the interview more as an
engaging conversation rather than as a checklist of questions. After thanking the individual and
acknowledging them as a reliable inside source, it is best if the interview flow naturally and that
the interviewee have time to fully explain his responses rather than be repeatedly asked a
cadence of consecutive questions. This also allows you to obtain more information beyond the
usual one-word answers or overgeneralizations. At the same time, however, it is important to
guide the interview so that it does not stray too far from the intended objective.
The examples in Table 2 demonstrate the breadth and depth of questions that can be
answered through an inside source interview. However, inside sources can sometimes have
trouble generating the kind of insights that are needed, or they can claim to lack such knowledge.
While a wide range of useful questions can be asked to help them unlock or uncover some of
their insights, eight useful types of questions (and specific illustrations of them) include the
following:
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1) How is the Target segment Different? What are some of the different ways that men
who buy Hartmann luggage different from ones who are not? This can include
how they act, what they talk about, what they wear, what they might be carrying
with them, how they order or ask questions, what they prefer, how they treat the
person they might be with, and so on (Wansink 1994).
2) What Clues Would You Use to Predict Who’s a Member of the Target segment?
If there were two people in front of you and you knew one of the two of them
drank milk every night at dinner and one drank soft drinks, how would you guess
which was which (Wansink and Park 2000)?
3) What Questions Do They Ask and When Do They Decide? Tell me about the last
time a person came in and bought a Cadillac instead of a foreign import car they
were also considering. What were some of the questions they asked? What was
the turning point where they seemed to change their mind in favor of the Cadillac
(Wansink 2005)?
4) What are Some Unusual or Funny Things You See Customers Do? Some of your
Dunkin’ Donuts customers come in every day and others come in less regularly.
What are some unusual or funny things you’ve seen people do if they are new
customers or very infrequent customers?
5) What Have You Overheard? What are some of the things you’ve overheard people
say that suggests why they might eating at your Burger King (or Olive Garden)
rather that eating at the McDonalds (or TGI Fridays) across the street (Wansink
and Hanks 2014)?
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6) How Have You Helped Change Somebody’s Behavior? Tell me about the last time
you were able to convince someone at your bar to buy an expensive wine they
ended up liking rather than instead ordering cocktails or beer (Wansink, et al
2006)?
7) What Do You Find Surprising? What do you sometimes find surprising about the
customers you talk with who eventually end up deciding to buy one of the top-end
gas grills?
8) What Would You Do? Let’s suppose that your manager said that he made a lot more
money on the Shrimp Salad than on the Onion Ring Basket. Given all of the
orders you’ve taken from customers, what are some of the tricks that you or one
of the other sharp waitresses think you could use to encourage a lot more people
to order the more profitable Shrimp Salad (Wansink 2014)?
The basic process of the interview will differ for each researcher depending on their topic
familiarity, their chemistry with the inside source, and the location where the interview takes
place. While it is important to focus on the questions you are most interested in directly
addressing, it is also important to be flexible. For instance, early in the interview, you may need
to resolve suspicions the inside source might have or to alleviate their hesitancy to speculate or to
– on the other hand – over-generalize. Common questions often have to do with the interview
process (“What’s the point of all of these questions?” or “What are you doing this for?). In other
cases, it is more important to move the inside source away from making gross generalizations
(“Rich people like expensive things” or “It all depends on price”) on one hand, or making
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dismissive comments (“Everyone is different” or “I never thought out it”) on the other hand.
Table 3 illustrates common potential stumbling blocks that can happen during inside source
interviews, and it suggests some responses as to how to effectively deal with these barriers.
[Insert Table 3]
Most inside sources need guidance and encouragement to dig deep and to generate
insights that might not yet even have. During a 45-minute interview, the most productive point
is usually at the 15-30 minute mark. Before that, they may be nervous and defensive, and after
that they can sometimes start running out of ideas and become repetitive. Yet even if an inside
source can only give you a few minutes during a break or during a slow part of their day, the
insights can be valuable. The key to great interviews, however, is doing them face-to-face.
Attempting to conduct a inside source interview over the phone, with a web-cam, or on-line
nearly always results in the inside source being distracted, irritated, and superficial in their
comments.
Yet even with a highly experienced and skilled interviewer, not every inside source
interview will yield critical insights. Base on my experience, if you are interviewing five inside
sources, you can expect the following: one or two of them will be able to provide a wide range
of useful insights; one or two will offer a couple thoughtful observations; and about two of them
will not be willing or able to offer any useful insights. Given this yield rate, you might want to
plan on conducting a few more interviews than planned. As a rule of thumb, my researchers
usually conduct 10-12 inside source interviews on a particular issue (which is when they become
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repetitive). Still, even just two or three interviews can provide surprising more insight into the
target segment than one would think.
Generating and Leveraging Inside Sources
In order to leverage insights from inside sources, it is useful to organize them in a way
that shows how they can be fully integrated into all four components (4-Ps) of the Marketing
Mix: Promotion, Product, Price, and Place. Interview-generated insights can yield concrete
suggestions in any or all four of these areas, with the ultimate goal of providing actionable
insights to change behavior.
Extending some of the illustrations from prior tables, Table 4 provides examples of
implications that would apply to some or all 4P’s of the marketing mix. While not all insights
have implications for all four aspects of the marketing mix, some insights may generate multiple
suggestions for a single aspect.
[Insert Table 4]
Discussion
Again, using inside sources can quickly, impressively, and inexpensively uncover unique
insights that would otherwise be overlooked. Following the previously mentioned steps will
facilitate the process, from choosing an objective, to selecting appropriate inside sources,
determining the specific questions that will elicit meaningful responses, and finally, to generating
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tangible implications for the marketing mix. This method for obtaining these insider tips can be
used with a wide range of sources and can be applied to a wide range of issues, from the
concerns of ordinary consumers to those of well-established companies and organizations. It
permits flexibility in one’s depth of focus, whether this be a broad overview of an industry or a
narrow application to specific brand or behavior.
Yet using inside sources has limitations. There are limitations to interviewing individuals,
particularly those associated with a lack of objectivity, which can result in interviewer bias,
Hawthorne effect, respondent biases, and the like. Furthermore, an interview may yield some
insights that are not generalizable to other individuals or situations. While inside source
interviews are useful, they should not be exclusively relied upon. Other methods for generating
insights, such as laddering and prototyping (Wansink 2000) or demographic and psychographic
data, may be used in conjunction with inside source interviews to produce a richer profile of the
issue in question, or to then quantify the magnitude of the these insights or to test their validity
by using a wide-scale survey
The inside source approach need not be limited to marketing. It can also be put into
practice to find insights and solutions to encourage healthy eating, active lifestyles, or financial
well-being. The process of identifying and translating insights into actionable items can generate
more effective ways of motivating positive behavior change. Future research in this area may
include comparing the inside source approach to other techniques such as using in-depth
interviews of the target segment or using motivational interviewing. Showing how inside source
interviews compliment these other methods will encourage its wider use.
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and B. WANSINK “Crowdsourcing Novel Childhood Predictors of Adult Obesity,” PLoS
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13
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Table 1: Identifying Possible Inside Sources
Client
High-end
Electronics Chain
New golf equipment
company
Private client
investment service
within an investment
bank
BBQ Sauce
Manufacturer
Arizona Spa
Restaurant in a
Famous Memphis
Hotel
Objective
Attract radio
equipment buyers
when new items are
first introduced
Build word-ofmouth excitement
for new line of golf
clubs
Attract more highworth clients
Target segment
Early adopters of
radio equipment
Increase BBQ sauce
usage among light
users
Reposition itself for
elite Southern
California market
Increase visits to the
restaurant by out-oftown travelers on
business accounts
People who like to
barbeque
Golfers
Fortune 500 CEOs
Affluent women
Frequent travelers
to Memphis
Possible inside sources
Sales people at electronics retail
stores (such as Best Buy, Radio
Shack), tech bloggers,
electronics repairmen,
Caddies, pro shop staff, golf
instructors, groundskeepers,
country club waiters,
Chauffeurs, personal assistants,
charter flight pilots, Chief
Operating Officers, tailors,
accountants, attorneys, luxury
car dealers
Butchers, shelf stockers, gas
grill salespeople, park managers,
waitresses at a BBQ restaurant
Jewelers, personal shoppers,
hairdressers, nannies, personal
trainers
Airport bartenders, flight
attendants, airport security staff,
taxi drivers, hotel staff
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Table 2: Insights from Inside Sources
Client’s Goal
First Inside
Source
On-line
cosmetics
company:
Increase sales of
imported soaps
Beauty consultant
at cosmetics store
Container and
Storage Supply
Company:
Increase sales of
recyclable
aluminum
containers to
restaurants and
food service
companies
Director of Sales
of metal
distribution
company
Insights
Customers like to test products before
purchasing
Customers bring in magazine articles
featuring products that interest them
Pre-teen and teen girls enjoy shopping
in groups
Many people buy online but return in
store after they see and test product
Businesses often need product
specifications and dimensions. They
want reliable and consistent quality.
Businesses are already informed; they
don’t need to be educated about the
product. They buy only what they need,
not what they want, whereas retail
consumers buy what they want and not
what they need.
Most business-to-business companies
have a few key accounts, a small but
loyal customer base. Face-to-face
contact is valued highly.
Distributers should develop partnerships
with customers (e.g. purchase their
stock and offer on-site support if
needed). This helps maintain business
relationship in the long-term
Second Inside
Source
Employee at
store for
spiritual and
holistic health
books and
supplies
Waitress at
restaurant that
uses recyclable
aluminum
containers
Insights
Customers are interested in alternative
medicines and natural ingredients
They like personal relationships with
store employees
They like communal atmosphere of
shopping and appreciate
recommendations from fellow buyers
Customers who “doggie bag” food in
aluminum containers often order larger,
more caloric dishes
Food supply and storage needs vary
month to month depending on price
changes and diners’ preferences
Most family-owned restaurants are
looking for a long term relationship
with their suppliers for better prices and
customer service
The recyclability of these containers is a
major selling point and buyers like to
see companies that care about the
environment and sustainability
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Non-Cola Soft
Drink
Company:
Expand to South
Korean market
South Korean
student at a US
university
Manufacturer of
chewable
calcium
supplements:
Market
supplements to
women as
means of
preventing
osteoporosis
Pharmacist
International drinkers in the U.S. find
that soda ‘neutralizes’ the greasiness of
foods like hamburgers and pizza
The “stronger” or “sweeter” a soda
tastes, the better it masks the grease in
the meal
Pharmacists approve of calcium
supplements, but they don’t make direct
recommendations to customers
More people take calcium for treatment
than as a preventive measure
Purchasers of supplements tend to be
well-read, physically fit, pro-active and
seek self-improvement
People respond to fear tactics.
People like “combo items” that include
calcium and other vitamins
Constant soda drinking keeps him
“refreshed” throughout the day
Employee at a
US fast food
chain which
serves the drink
Registered
dietician at
assisted care
facility
When drinking a lot of soda, he doesn’t
always stick to a ‘favorite’ brand, just to
add variety
Variety in soda choice can add
excitement to an otherwise routine
schedule
People who start taking supplements
usually take them continually,
becoming customers for life.
Many older users started taking them
even before entering a medical facility
or assisted care situation.
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Table 3: Strategies for Interviewing Inside Sources
When your Inside Source says….
It often means
“What’s the point of all these questions?”
They are skeptical
about the purpose of
the interview
“Who/What are you doing this for?”
“Why are you asking me?”
“I don’t know”
“I never thought about it…”
“I can’t think of anyone right now”
They are thinking too
generally and are not
thinking about specific
individuals or
encounters
“It’s hard to say… everyone is different”
“It depends on the price” (or another
response related to price)
“Rich people who like expensive things”
“People like high-quality products”
“There’s not one certain “group” or
“category” that all our customers can be
placed in”
“All our customers are different and behave
in different ways”
They are relying on a
easy answer without
wanting to dig any
deeper
They are again thinking
too general and not
about exceptions to
these basic rules
They have difficulties
thinking in terms of
patterns or subsegments
Try responding like this….
“These questions help us understand (insert organization or
company here) and how they can improve their operations”
“We’re looking for ways to increase sales/participation in (insert
organization or company here)”
“You’re a knowledgeable source for (insert target segment here)
since you interact with these people often”
“Think of the last customer you had.”
“Who was your most memorable customer? What made them
memorable?”
“What are some of the most popular or common items that were
selected?”
“If you were convincing a customer to come, what would you
say?”
“Let’s think beyond the price, what would be the second biggest
influence on whether someone would purchase this?”
“Instead of thinking about these folks as a group, let’s focus on
individuals you’ve met. Try to picture a specific person who
exhibited this behavior.”
“What kinds of people do you see (insert a specific action or
behavior here)?”
“Can you recall any specific behaviors or unusual habits that
your patrons have?”
“What other types of people might be interested in (insert topic
here)?”
“Describe a prototypical customer. What is the typical profile of
a loyal customer?”
“What are some professions of your average customer?”
Table 4: Inside Source Insights and Implications for the Marketing Mix
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Goal
Increase businessto-business sales of
aluminum
recyclable
containers
Insights
Purchasers are informed
about products they want
Appreciate reliability,
consistency, and precise
product specifications
Develop a few key
accounts with close
relationships and face-toface contact
Recognizable brand
Focus on sustainability
Buyers need flexibility as
purchase needs vary
according to customers
preference
Expand Non-cola
soft drink into
South Korean
market
Encourage more
people to take
chewable calcium
supplements
Promotion
Interactive website with
that tracks loyalty points
to use towards future
purchases and allow
customers to construct
personalized purchase
and delivery packages
Product
Welcome letter to firsttime customers
Newsletter
Include detailed product
specifications with each
order
A loyalty program to
track customers’ good
behavior (e.g. on-time
payments, eco-friendly
business practices)
rewarded with coupons
or discounts on future
purchases
Sales-people meet
buyers regularly to
maintain relationship;
ask buyers if company’s
products suit their needs;
develop new products as
needed
Make meeting place for
buyers a nice place so
they feel respected and
comfortable; display
quotes or statements that
promote trusting, caring,
long-term relationships
Price
Offer payment
extensions for
companies that
struggle to pay on time
Offer variety of
package options to suit
product and delivery
needs of a variety of
customers
Set aside space in
production facility to
hold stock for customers
A detailed product
specification booklet
Customers loyal to other
sodas drink thisfor
variety
Emphasize “unique
taste” and “strong
flavor”
International drinkers use
soda to cut grease in
Western food
Free sample booths in
popular urban areas;
comes with bag of chips
to show how it cuts
grease
Pharmacies don’t often
recommend these
products to customers
Direct advertising
campaign at pharmacies
People respond well to
A clean, sleek company
logo should be apparent
on all packaging to
promote brand
Place
On-site recycling and
machinery that saves
energy and made of
earth-friendly materials
promotes image of
sustainability and saves
money
Attempt to reach
customers early in life so
Make unique packaging
to (e.g. create new bottle
different from other soft
drinks in South Korean
market)
Where soda options may
be monotonous (e.g.
office and school
cafeterias, vending
machines)
Be competitive with
other soft drinks
Offer coupon or
discounts at fast food
restaurants
Fast food restaurants to
encourage drinking with
greasy Western food
In developing other
supplements in the
future, companies should
include combinations to
vitamins and minerals to
Free samples by mail, in
pharmacies or doctors’
offices
Ask doctors to put in
Emphasize savings in
time or convenience
Chewable supplements
can be taken at any
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fear tactics and
combination items
People who start taking
supplements early are
often customers for life
Increase online
sales of imported
soaps
Purchasers tend to be
well-read, physically fit,
pro-active and seek selfimprovement
Customers like to test
products before buying
Younger customers tend
to shop in groups
Most buyers appreciate
recommendations from
fellow buyers
Buyers like natural
ingredients
Buyers refer to products
seen in magazines
they begin taking
supplements as a
preventative measure
encourage purchase
bowls at reception desk
and in office waiting
room (like candy)
time without water and
are individually
wrapped so may be
taken anywhere
Emphasize product
ingredients on website
and how they aid in skin
care
Send product samples or
scent samples by mail
Price may be raised
because customers
focus on ingredients
rather than cost
Use doctors and other
health professionals as
authority figures in
promotions
Ask yoga and natural
beauty bloggers to
promote and link to
company website
Give samples to yoga
studios for bathroom use
Make website highly
interactive: create
newsletter, blog or chat
forum
Include feature on
website for customers to
recommend products to
friends or write product
reviews
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